FEDERAL AGENCY PROPOSES TO DESIGNATE HABITAT AS “CRITICAL”
TO SALMON
IN THE NORTHWEST AND CALIFORNIA

NOAA Fisheries today is releasing a proposal
to designate specific areas of in-stream and estuarine habitat as
“critical” to the conservation of 20 populations of federally
protected salmon and steelhead in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California.
The proposal includes an assessment of the economic impacts associated
with proposed designations and requires federal agencies to give special
consideration to their activities when they take place within the
designated areas.

“This
proposal seeks to protect critical salmon habitats and meet the economic
needs of the citizens of the Pacific Northwest and California,”
said Bill Hogarth,
NOAA Fisheries administrator.

“This proposal emphasizes salmon
restoration as a top priority, and recognizes the many voluntary conservation
efforts and other important collaborative agreements that are already
underway to achieve that goal,” added Bob Lohn, NOAA Fisheries’
Northwest regional administrator. “The designations are designed
to identify the most beneficial biological habitat for salmon, while
also defining the scope of the costs associated with designating certain
areas,” Lohn stated.

The Endangered Species Act requires the
designation of critical habitat for a species listed for protection.
The Act also requires the agency to fully consider the economic impact
of such a designation. NOAA Fisheries withdrew a prior critical habitat
rule in 2002 in response to legal concerns that the rule did not adequately
consider economic impacts.

Significant federal funds have helped
improve hundreds of miles of in-stream and estuarine habitat, boost
juvenile fish survival and passage through hydroelectric dams through
state-of-the-art technology, and reform hatchery and harvest practices,
and provide incentives for salmon protection to local, state, tribal,
private and other entities.

Since 2000, 13 of the 16 listed runs
of salmon in the Pacific Northwest, and three of four of the Northern
and Central California runs for which NOAA Fisheries has recent data
have experienced significant improved numbers. Nearly all salmon populations
have increased greatly and current levels are now well above ten-year
averages.

The proposal also says NOAA Fisheries
is considering whether to exclude certain areas from the critical
habitat designation. The agency is seeking comments on these alternatives
during the 60-day public comment period.

NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to providing
and preserving the nation’s living marine resources and their
habitat through scientific research, management, and enforcement.
NOAA Fisheries provides effective stewardship of these resources for
the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend
upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers
and recreational opportunities for the American public.

The Commerce Department’s National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is dedicated to enhancing economic
security and national safety through the prediction and research of
weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship
of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.